Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

Question 65:

“What is to ‘stand perfect and complete in all the will of God?’” (Colossians 4:12.)

Answer 65:

Epaphras’ prayer was the echo of the apostle’s, as one may say. (See chapters 1:9, and 2:1-3.) Paul had never seen the Colossians, but had heard of them through Epaphras. He could thank God as to what he had heard of them (chapter 1:3, etc), but he could agonize in prayer for them, that they might know more of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; thus to walk worthy of the Lord. That they might have the “full assurance of understanding” in the mystery of Christ and the Church, “wherein are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Conversion only was not sufficient in Paul’s mind, and Epaphras had learned this, and his prayer (chapter 4:12) took its tone from his lesson learned from Paul.

Question 66:

“What is to ‘grieve’ and to ‘quench’ י the Spirit of God?”

Answer 66:

The allowance of flesh in the least degree in a Christian is to grieve the Spirit of God, by which he has been sealed until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). What a motive to holiness is the fact ― true of every believer ― that the Holy Spirit of God dwells in him! He may, alas, grieve Him in many ways. Rejection of light which God has given; worldliness; in fact everything that has not Christ for its motive and object must grieve God’s Spirit, and hinder our growth and communion.

To quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), is to hinder His free action in the assembly. While there are special permanent gifts in the Church (Ephesians 4:11) there are also the “joints and bands,” which work effectually in the measure of every part, and by which the Body of Christ increases. If they are hindered in true spiritual service ― a single word for instance ― the Spirit of God is quenched.

There are dangers to be avoided on both sides, specially by those who seek to walk in the truth of the Church of God. On one side the danger is, that because there is liberty “that all may learn and all may be comforted,” there may be the undervaluing of special ministry, which is a permanent thing as long as the Church of God is here. On the other, there is the danger of quenching the Spirit in the various helps, and joints, and bands by which nourishment is ministered in the body of Christ, by putting special ministry in the place of the free action of the Holy Ghost in the members of Christ; both are to be cherished, and the most spiritual are those who will value all that God gives.

The following verses (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21) show that it is ministry the apostle has in his mind. While in verse 12 he exhorts them to own those who labour amongst them and esteem them highly in love for their work’s sake; in verses 19-21 they were not to quench the Spirit in any, but at the same time to “prove all things” which were said, and “hold fast that which was good.”